Who else is ready to put vets to work?

Walmart is known for a lot of good things. Great back-to-school sales. Stocking up on storm supplies. Last-minute gift buying. But I have added one more bullet to Walmart's list of accolades: a recently stated commitment to hiring every veteran who applies for a job in the Walmart corporation.

As we applaud this bold initiative, it should be noted that veterans with disabilities have faced record joblessness for years -- before the post-9/11 era and even during periods of low national unemployment. The fact remains that a veteran with a catastrophic disability is 3 to 8 times more likely to remain under- or unemployed than the general population.

Paralyzed Veterans of America launched its own veterans jobs initiative in 2007 to confront rampant unemployment among the most underserved veterans in our society. Through PAVE (Paving Access for Veterans Employment), we have educated employers, partnered with corporations and changed self-expectations in veterans who simply needed the resources, encouragement and opportunity to reach their full work potential.

The PAVE program is currently providing core services, such as resume building, military skills translation and interview coaching, to more than 1,600 hard-to-place clients. In addition, more than 3,200 OEF/OIF/OND veterans, many among the most disabled, receive extended support through our jobs, health and benefits programs.

We also have partnered with more than 400 employers, including such well-known brands as Microsoft, Best Buy and Walgreens, to pave access for veteran employment.

This brings me back to the Walmart initiative to hire every veteran and why it's critical for the government, corporate and social sectors to take note of this example of a bold ambition to tackle a huge problem.

We have helped numerous veterans with disabilities exceed expectations. Despite suffering a spine injury in the Marines in 2002, I have managed to earn a graduate degree from a top university, raise a family (including a newborn baby) and oversee a multimillion dollar nationwide program, all from the "confines" of a wheelchair.

For me, it was opportunity, not charity, that made me a tax-paying participant in society despite my disability.

Through our PAVE program, I believe we can replicate -- and hopefully exceed -- my success for hundreds of veterans. And we can do so by working with trendsetters such as Walmart to give every veteran, disabled or otherwise, a shot at the American dream: a great career with a great company.

Our mission-ready program stands ready to work with all employers who are willing to join the effort.

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The author is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and associate executive director of the Washington, D.c.-based Paralyzed Veterans of America. Visit www.PVA.org.